Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers Rivalry Not a Factor in Claim of B.J. Daniels

By Todd Pheifer

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks claimed former San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback B.J. Daniels off of waivers. Obviously Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider did this just to mess with the Niners.

Wrong.

Is there a rivalry? Yes. Is this move about taking a definitive lead in that rivalry? Not exactly. This particular news is a bit overblown, overhyped and overanalyzed.

It is fair to suggest that there is no love lost between Carroll and San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh. If you know anything about the history of these two coaches, their skirmishes go back to their days of leading college programs.

That said, the claiming of Daniels is not just about poking at the other coach. This is the NFL, and each move has to be done with some care. There are only so many spots on the roster. We’re talking about a third-string quarterback here. If Daniels sees the field in 2013, the Seahawks may have much bigger problems than their disdain for the 49ers.

Now, is it possible that the ‘Hawks were irritated when the 49ers claimed Chris Harper before the start of the 2013 season? Probably. In theory, this latest waiver claim could have been a retaliatory move.

Still, that scenario seems unlikely. Any heated rivalry can be fun to watch, but there are limits to what a team will do. Daniels is a former seventh-round pick, so this was hardly a move to grab a prized prospect. In addition, Russell Wilson is not going anywhere. If he were to get hurt, Tarvaris Jackson would be in and not Daniels.

Is there a rivalry between these two teams? Absolutely. Was this particular move a direct result of that rivalry? Unlikely.

Todd Pheifer covers the Seattle Seahawks for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @tpheifer, “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google+.